Polyols are generally produced from petroleum. Polyols are useful in a variety of applications, as polyols may be used in coatings, adhesives, sealants, elastomers, resins and foams. Polyols may be used in a wide variety of fields including the textile, plastic, medical, chemical, manufacturing, and cosmetic industries.
Research in recent years has focused on alternative, non-petroleum based sources of polyols. One area of focus has been the production of polyols from natural oils, with vegetable oils being of particular focus.
Some examples of non-petroleum based polyols include those described by Petrovic et al. in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,107,433, 6,433,121, 6,573,354, and 6,686,435. Other examples include those described by Kurth, U.S. Pat. No. 6,180,686.
Although the aforementioned polyols are useful in the production of polymers such as polyurethanes, improved non-petroleum based polyols are also desired. In particular, the ability to control the molecular weight and the functionality of the non-petroleum based polyol is desirable.